Many people are aware of bumblebees and honeybees, but did you know there are 20,000 species of bees worldwide? In North America alone there are over 4,000 species of bees.
Honeybees, probably the species the public is most aware of, are not even native to the United States but were brought over by early settlers. Native North American bee species include bumblebees, mason bees and orchard bees.

When people think of bees, they tend to think of insects that are yellow and black. While these colors appear on some species, bees can actually be found in a wide range of colors. They can be amber, metallic green or deep metallic blue-black, and can have turquoise or emerald eyes.
“The beauty of other [bee] species blows people away,” says Spevak. “They are so diverse.”

One of the biggest worries people have about bees is being stung, However, according to Spevak, bees are not aggressive.
“Bees normally can care less about you," Spevak says. "It’s very difficult to actually get stung by most bees.”
Honeybees and bumblebees may become aggressive if you approach their hive or colony because they will attempt to protect it, but unless they are provoked, most bees will leave you alone.

According to Spevak, 70 percent of native bees nest in the ground and most bees are solitary. The social nature of bumblebees and honeybees is actually considered odd.
“Some bees don’t mind living next to each other," says Spevak. "Like an apartment, they’ll share an entrance but have their own individual spaces."
Ground nesting bees are also not aggressive. Even running a lawn mower over their nest will tend to get little reaction.

Beekeeping is no longer only for professionals. According to Belli, there are more hobbyist beekeepers now than ever before.
“Hobbyist beekeepers may be the salvation of bees. They introduce a great deal of diversification,” Belli says. “It’s a great hobby and very enjoyable.”
There are a number of local beekeeping clubs in every state where you can learn more about becoming a beekeeper.